Gas holder



Jan. 17, 1933. w. G. LAlRD GAS HOLDER Original Filed March 8, 1926 ATTORNEY INVENTOR WILBUR G. LAiRD fl BY Patented 17, 1933 UNITED STATES W'IL'BUB G. LAIRD, OI PLEA PATENT OFFICE J NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO IDOHEBTY mm- COMIANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE GAS nommn continuation application Serial ll'o. 98,113, fled larch 8, 1928. This application fled February 6,

. 1981. Serlaljlo. 513,871.

This invention relates to gas holders and more particularly to those of the water sealedsingle lift type. This invention WBSVOII nally described in my previously filed app cation Ser. No. 93,113 filed March 8th, 1926,

of which this is a full continuation.

The type of gas holder in most common use consists of a tank or water reservoir in WhlCh one or more lifts are constructed 10 such a manner that as the gas is introduced into the holder the lift is elevated and the gas is prevented from escaping by means of the li uid seal at the lower edge of the lift.

11 a single lift holder, the lift comprises a 15 single inverted bell which is open at the bottom or liquid-sealed end and is closed at the top by a crown curved to the form of a section of a sphere and made gas-tight throughout. As gas is introduced and withdrawn from the holder, this bell or lift rises and falls and is supported by the gas pressure within the holder; the bottom of the lift being sealed against gas escape by the liquid seal provided by the water tank or liquid reservoir.

In order to confine the lift-to a vertical movementalone and prevent tipping, it is customary to provide a guide-frame or heavy structural steel frame work which usually is attached to the side of the tank and which serves to hold'the lift in a vertical position throughoutits travel. The lift is provided with suitable guide-rollers held by oosenecks attached to the crown of the li and which engage guide-rails attached to the guide-frame, or as in the usual practice engage a vertical memberof'the guide-frame itself. Similar rollers are attached to the lower edge of the lift and en ge guide-rails installed against the ins de wall of the tank. The guide-frame must be'sufliciently strong and r1gid to prevent any normal tendency of the lift to tip out of-line when in an elevated position and,-'furthermore, must be strong enough to withstand all wind strains against both itself and the lift which it guides. The

height of the guide-frame is determined by the depth of the lift and its vertical travel.

The'primary object of the present invention is to provide a means whereby the vertically movable lift ma be held in proper alignment without em l oying the usual heavy and expensive guideame.

Another object of the invention is to provide a guiding means which will permit a lift to be installed in practically any type of'tank without requiring special foundation work or other alterations for accommodating a s ecial guide-frame.

other object of the invention is to provide a means for guiding the lift of a holder, 60 which may be contained within the'holder and protected from climatic conditions involving atmospheric oxidation and corrosive reactions. 7

Another object of the invention is to rovide a means for guiding agas holder, w ich rmit of quick and easy alignment of the 11ft in the event of foundation settlement and tank wa age. Further ob ects of the invention are to'provide a guiding means for a gas holder that is simple and inexpensive to install; is easy to keep in proper adjustment and repair; and makes the holder unit more attractive in appearance. i 1

With these and other objects in view the invention consists in the improved method of constructing a gas holder as hereinafter illustrated and claimed.

, Fig. 1 is 'a plan view with arts in section of a single-lift gas holder em odying a pre ferred form of the invention, and

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view. of the holder shown in Fig. 1'.

The means or mechanism for guiding a gas holder in the present invention has been illustrated as applied to the common type holder consisting of hollow bell, or lift, mounted in a tank of water. The lift 10 moves vertically up and down in a tank 12,

v of the tank.

escape of gas by a body of water in the tank :3, the level of the water being indicated at As the gas moves into and out of the lift, the lift rises and falls, the Weight of the lift being supported by the body of gas within. It W111 be apparent therefore, that the lift must be accurately guided in order that it may operate freely and effectively. Spacing rollers 19 (Fig. 1) mounted on the inner rim of tank 12 between the tank and the lift serve to hold the outer periphery of the lift in properly spaced relation to the inner periphery The guiding means of the present invention consists of a series of flexible cables, ropes, chains or other flexible members which are mounted within the tank and lift and attached to the tank and lift so that they guide the lift and constrain it to move in a vertical path. To accomplish this cables '20 are arranged in pairs around the periphery of the lift and preferably each pair is mounted to extend across the lift diametrically. Each pair of cables is the same and each pair is mounted in the tank and lift in the same way so that only one pair of cables will be described. One cable of a pair is attached to a hanger 22 near the rim of the tank then passes down the tank under a pulley 24 then. up and over a pulley 26 mounted under the crown of the lift, then across the lift and over a pulley 28 on the opposite side of the lift from the pulley 26, then down and under a pulley 30 1 mounted on'the lower edge of the lift vertically below the pulley 28, then up to a bracket 32 mounted on the rim of the tank at a position substantially diametrically opposite from the hanger 22. At the point where the cable above described emerges from the water to be attached to the bracket 32 the cable may be in the form of a chain as shown, which will better withstand the corrosive action that occurs at the waters surface. The connection of the cable with the bracket 32 consists of a a bolt 34 passing through a heavy compression s ring 36 which acts to hold the cable taut.

he other cable of the pair is mounted in the tank and liftin the reverse position from the above described cable and moves parallel to it. For example, the other cable of the pair has one end attached to a hanger 23 fixed to the rim of the tank adjacent the bracket 32,

then it passes down under a pulley 38 in the bottom of the tank, then up over a pulley 40 adjacent the pulley 28, then over a pulley 42 adjacent'the pulley 26, then down under a pulley 44 mounted on the bottom of the lift and then up to a bracket 46, to which it is connected by bolt 34.

In the drawing only two pairs of cables have been illustrated but it is apparent that any desired number of maybe used and the pairs would preferably be uniformly distributed around the inner periphery of the lift. It is not necessary that the cables be positioned on the diameter of the lift as illustrated in the drawing. When the lift moves up and down the ends of the cables remain fixed and the cable moves on the pulleys 26, 28, 30, 40, 42 and 44 to adjust them for the (hfferent positions of the lift. The cables constrain the wall of the lift to move in a vertical plane. The. side pressure of the wind against the side of the lift. is effectively resisted by the arrangement of the cables in passing under the pulley attached to the lower edge of the lift.

The pulleys 24 and 38 act only as guides for the cables since the cables do not move in these pulleys as the lift moves up and down. These pulleys however are useful inchanging,

inspecting or repairing cables. Forexample,

a. new cable may be attached to an old guide cable and then pulled into the position occupied by the old guide cable while the old guide cable is being removed. This new cable may then be used for replacing the guide cable or may be withdrawn again if the old cable is found to be in good condition. This operation may be carried on'without entering the tank or lift.

With" the above described apparatus the guide cables are housed entirely within the tank and lift and are thus protected from at- 1. In a gas holder, a tank arranged to pro-- vide a body of sealing liquid, a closed bell movably mounted, in the tank with its wall arranged to move adjacent the wall of. the tankin the sealing liquid so as to trap gas within the bell above the I sealing liquid, means to introduce gas into and remove gas from said bell and flexible cable's secured to the tank and movably mounted wholly withinsaid tank and bell for, supporting and guiding said bell in its 11]]?{W3Id and downward movementin the tan 2. In a gas holder. a tank, a closed bell movable in the tank, and a guide means for the bell comprising cables arranged in pairs movable in parallel diametrically across the bell and distributed around the periphery of the bell, the ends of the caliles being fixed to the tank and the'cables movable over pulleys attached to-the bell so arranged as to constrain the wall of the bell to move in a vertical path. I

riphery of mounted inthe tank tank and the other end tank at a point opposite of the. said bell, and the ends of the cables fixed to said tank, one of said ends bein positioned in the upper portion of the tan adjacent the upper limit of movement of the bell in the tank and theother end of the 10 cables being fixed in position near the bottom of the tank, said cables being arranged to constrain the wall of the said bell to move in a vertical path as itmoves up and down in the tank.

4. In a gas holder, a tank, a gas storage lift movably mounted in the tank and a guide means for the hft comprising flexible cables mounted wholly on the inside of the tank and lift 'in pairs distributed around the pethe lift, the opposite ends of each of the said cables being-secured to the tank, and each cable being idably connected to the periphery of the li t respectively at diametrically opposite sides of the lift, one cable 5 of each pair supporting the lower edge of the lift'at one side, and the other cable of the pair supporting the lower edge ofthe lift at its opposite side.

5. In a gas holder, a tank, a lift movably and a guide means for the lift comprising flexible cables movably mounted on the inside of the lift in airs and distributed around the periphery o the lift, one end of each cable being fixed within the .of the cable being yieldably secured to the upper rim of the tank at a point opposite the point of attachment of the first end of the cable, one cable of the pair supporting the lift at one side,

and the other cable supporting the lift at a diametrically opposite side. I

6. In a as holder, a tank, a lift movable in the tan and a guide means for the lift comprising flexible cables movably mounted on the inside of the lift in pairs and distributed around the inner periphery of the lift, one end of each cable being fixed within the tank and the other end of the cable being yieldably secured to the upper rim of the the point of attachment of th,first end of the cable, one cable of each'p'air arranged to pass over a pulley mounted on the lower edge of the lift on one side, then passing over pulleys mounted adjacent the inner side of the roof of the lift and then down to and attached to the tank at a point opposite the said pulley on the lower edge of the lift, the other cable of the pair passing over a pulley mounted on the lower edge of the lift at a point diametrically opposite the first mentioned pulley on the lower edge of the lift, then over pulleys adjacent the first mentioned pulleys mounted on the inner side of the roof ofthe 5 lift and then down to the tank at a point adjacent said first mentioned pulley on the bottom of the lift.

7. In a mounted in the tankand a guide means for the lift comprising a plurality of flexible gas holder, a'tank, a lift movably cables movably mounted within said tank and lift for supporting and guiding the lift, each cable having one'end attached to the rim of the tank, then passing down undera pulley secured to the bottom of the lift, then up parallel to the wall of the lift and across the lift immediately under the roof thereof, then over a pulley and down to the tank-and under a. pulley attached on the bottom of the tank, then up to a point of attachment at the rim of the tank in a position opposite the attachment of the first end of the cable.

8. In a gas holder, a tank arranged to provide a body of sealing liquid, a gas storage lift movably mounted in the tank with its side walls dipping into the sealing liquid so as to trap gas within the lift above the sealing liquid. and guide means for the lift comprising plurality of flexible cables each operatively connected at horizontally and vertically spaced points to the tank and at'horizontally spaced points to the upper and lower parts ofthe lift and mounted wholly within said tank and lift.

9. In a gas holder, a tank arranged to provide a body of sealing liquid, a gas storage lift movably mounted in the tank with its side walls dipping into the sealing liquid so as to trap gas within the lift above the sealing liquid, and guide means for the lift comprising a plurality of flexible cables each guidably connected to the lift at horizontally spaced points around its periphery, each cable having its ends securedrespectively to the top and bottom of the tank and being movable intermediate its ends over pulleysattached respectively to the upper and lower parts of the lifton the interior thereof.

10. In a gas holder, a tank arranged to provide a body of sealing liquid, a lift movably mounted in the tank with the lower part of its outer wall ing liquid so above the sealing liquid, and guiding means for the lift comprising a series of guide cables disposed at spaced points around the periphery of the lift, each cable beingfoperatively connected to the tank at horizontally spaced points on its periphery and also'operatively connected to the too and bottom of the lift at points substantially in line vertically with the nearest points of attachment to the tank, said cables being mounted within the tank and lift and arranged to constrain the movement of the lift to a fixed vertical path.

11. In a gas holder, a tank arranged to provide a body of sealing liquid, a gas storage lift movably mounted in the tank with its side walls dipping into the sealing liquid so as to trap gas within the lift above the sealing arranged to dip into the sealas to trap gas within the lift liquid, guide means'for the lift comprising flexible cables each operatively connected at horizontally spaced points to the upper and lower parts of the tank and to the upper and lower parts of the lift and mounted within said tank and lift, and spacing means for maintaining a properly spaced relation between the outer peri hery of the lift and the inner periphery the tank as the lift moves up and down.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

WILBUR G. LAIRD. 

